Ammon's Blessing Day: July 6 2014

I have dozens of stories to tell and pictures to post to catch up on life since the end of April. This is my first attempt, and I will work backward from today [UPDATE: They are up--keep scrolling down!]. The most important update is that I had a fabulous baby boy on May 10th at 5:47pm. He weighed 7-14 and was 20" long and he is a sweet little baby. Last week he was blessed...

This darling boy was blessed by his dad in the Livingston Ward on July 6, 2014. Uncle Jess, Jeff and Shaun Spalding, Matt Johnson, and the bishopric were in the circle. The little Baker Twins, Georgia and Lincoln, were blessed the same day. He's officially Ammon Thatcher Layton Melin.

Daddy & Ammon

Close up!

Mommy & a very distressed Ammon

Trying to calm my boy

Quiet for a minute...

Then mad again...

and calm again (it was lunch and nap time!)

Ammon with big sister Heidi.

Here's the history of Ammon's name...
AMMON is our favorite missionary in the Book of Mormon. He did and said many wonderful things recorded in the scriptures. He started out as a rebellious son, but he changed his heart (along with his 3 brothers) and went to serve a mission to bring the Lamanites (the sworn enemies of his people) to Jesus Christ and had much success. One of my favorite Ammon quotes is in Alma 17:25. When he first arrives in Lamanite land, he is captured and taken to the king and tells the king he wants to live among the Lamanites. The kind is so impressed, he invites Ammon to marry his daughter. But Ammon responds, "Nay, but I will be thy servant." He taught us that the best way to bring people to Christ is to serve them. My other favorite quote from Ammon comes later after he has seen many miracles in his work, sometimes called the Psalm of Ammon in Alma 26:10-37. "Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever." He was a good guy.

THATCHER is the name of my Papa Bill's Grandpa. Samuel Thatcher was originally from Logan but he raised my Papa Bill in Los Angeles (Papa Bill is the son of Samuel's daughter, my great-grandma Jayne). I got the feeling that Grandpa Thatcher was to my Papa what my Papa was to me, and that makes him pretty special. Both of my Elrey Uncles have Thatcher for a middle name as well. Thatcher is also the name for the town in Arizona where my Dad was born, a town founded by my Great-Great-Grandfather. (It's ALSO the surname of the Iron Lady, whom I adore).

LAYTON is my maiden name, inherited from aforementioned G-G-Grandfather, Christopher Layton. I thought it would be a great first name. Richard thought not so much.

So that's his name. As with all our children, it was carefully chosen. Names can be powerful, just as Nephi III said in the Book of Mormon:

" Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good. Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them." -Helaman 5:6-7